Proposals for New Academic Programs/Units
(Revised September 2011)
A. Proposed Academic Program
Proposals for new academic programs should address the criteria outlined in the Guidelines for Proposals for New Academic Programs (see below).
Proposals for certificate and associate programs may be submitted to the Board of Regents at any time after approval by the institution’s management board. Baccalaureate and graduate level programs must follow the guidelines in Academic Affairs Policy 2.04 regarding Letters of Intent. Proposals for certificate, associate, and most baccalaureate programs will be scheduled for consideration by the Regents within 60 days of receipt.
Proposals for graduate-level programs and for highly technical and/or selective baccalaureates require review by external consultants. The cost associated with an external review of proposed programs will be paid by the respective system and/or institution. Where deemed appropriate, those reviews may be done by mail, in which case the consultant(s) will rely primarily on the information included in the proposal. The Guidelines for Academic Program Evaluation is provided below to assist in preparing comprehensive proposals.
With close collaboration between Regents and campus staff, the external review may be conducted before a program proposal is finalized for submission. In such cases, Regents’ staff select the consultant(s), negotiate the basic terms of the contract(s), and work with the campus to identify specific questions for the consultant(s) to consider in addition to those included in the Guidelines for Academic Program Evaluation. The consultants’ report will be forwarded by Regents’ staff to the system and campus, and the campus may revise its proposal accordingly before completing the submission process.
Templates and Guidelines for Program Proposals
♦ Proposed New Certificate Program
♦ Guidelines for New Academic Program Proposal
♦ Conditionally Approved Academic Program Progress Report
B. Proposed Academic Administration or Research Unit
Proposals for new centers, institutes, and other similar academic/research units (both intra- and inter- institutional) that are organized and structured around a broad-ranging, interdisciplinary research effort should follow the Guidelines and Forms for the (Re)Authorization of an Academic/Research unit (Centers and Institutes) noted below. Additionally, units that are seeking re-authorization for continued approval should follow the guidelines for such a request which are also noted below.
Proposed units which are projected to serve a purely administrative service function unrelated to any academic or research purpose do not need to seek Board of Regents’ approval. Questions as to whether a proposed unit is or is not considered academic/research in function should be discussed with the Staff of the Board of Regents/Academic Affairs.
The following definitions apply:
Center
The primary purpose of a Center is to conduct research, but closely related academic or public service activities may also be included. A center typically resides within an existing academic unit (college, department) and reports to the head of that unit, but may cross college lines and report to a senior academic officer. A center is not directly involved in the offering of courses for credit or degree programs. A center may also serve as a formalized link between the academic community and the professional community. A center should also facilitate efforts of the institution to attract external funding for related research.
Institute
The primary purpose of an Institute is to conduct research and offer associated instruction, but closely related academic or public service activities may also be included. An institute is typically an autonomous unit which reports directly to an academic dean or chief academic/research officer. An institute may serve as a formalized link between the academic community and the professional community. An institute may independently offer courses for credit and/or degree programs. An institute should also facilitate efforts of the institution to attract external funding for related research.
Guidelines and Forms for the (Re)Authorization of an Academic/Research Unit (Centers and Institutes)
♦ Guidelines for Application of a Academic/Research Unit
♦ Conditional (One-Year) Approval: Form A
♦ Continued Full Approval Units: Form C
♦ Budget Form: Word Doc
Updated 06/03/2014